A magistrate was charged in the Sessions Court in Kota Bharu today with two counts of accepting bribes from a man as an inducement to reduce sentence in October last year.

Mohd Firdaus Ramlan, 28, a magistrate at the Kuala Krai and Machang Magistrate's Courts, however, claimed trial when the charges were read before judge Zainal L Saleh.

Zainal later set Feb 11 as the new date for mention and allowed Mohd Firdaus bail of RM4,000 with one surety for both charges.

On the first charge, Mohd Firdaus was alleged to have accepted a bribe of RM3,000 from Md Shani Ishak at 10.30pm on Oct 11 at the Esso Petrol Station, Machang as an inducement to reduce the sentence to a two-year good behaviour bond in the sum of RM1,000.

The accused was charged under Section 17(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 (Act 694) which is punishable under Section 24 of the same Act which provides for a jail term of not more than 20 years and a fine of five times the value of the bribe.

Second bribery charge

On the second charge, Mohd Firdaus was alleged to have asked for a bribe of RM5,000 from Md Shani for a similar purpose at the magistrate's room of the Kuala Krai Court at 9am on Oct 6.

On the second count, he was charged under Section 16(a)(A) of the MACC Act 2009 (Act 694) which is also punishable under Section 24 of the same Act.

Mohd Firdaus was represented by counsels Mohd Hasif Hassan, Mohd Yusuf Yaakob and Ahmad Nizam Mohamed while MACC deputy public prosecutor Mohd Sophian Zakaria appeared for the prosecution.

- Bernama